Charter School of the Dunes

Charter School 836 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Charter School of the Dunes (CSD), located in Gary, Indiana, is a tuition-free public charter school that serves students in grades K-8. Founded with a focus on academic rigor and character development, the school aims to provide a high-quality educational experience that prepares students for success in high school and beyond. The curriculum is designed to be student-centered, often incorporating personalized learning strategies to meet the diverse academic needs of its student population in the Lake County area.

Beyond core academics, Charter School of the Dunes emphasizes a holistic approach to education by integrating arts, technology, and character-building initiatives into its daily programming. The school prides itself on fostering a supportive, community-oriented environment where family engagement is encouraged. By maintaining smaller class sizes and a dedicated staff, the school strives to cultivate a sense of belonging and academic achievement, positioning itself as a key educational option for families in the Gary community seeking an alternative to traditional district schools.

836

Total Students

47.0

Full-Time Teachers

17.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

67.5%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Charter School of the Dunes
Demographic	Student Count
White	9
Hispanic	74
Black	708
Asian	2
Two or More	38
American Indian	5

Black
708 (84.7%)
Hispanic
74 (8.9%)
Two or More
38 (4.5%)
White
9 (1.1%)
American Indian
5 (0.6%)
Asian
2 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Charter School of the Dunes
Phone:	(219)939-9690
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	836
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	47.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	17.8
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	562
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	2

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 45

Kindergarten 97

Grade 1 82

Grade 2 76

Grade 3 88

Grade 4 100

Grade 5 85

Grade 6 94

Grade 7 86

Grade 8 83